03-24985. Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

In accordance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs announced the proposed extension of a currently approved collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed extension of collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES:

Consideration will be given to all comments received on or before December 1, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations on the information collection should be sent to TRICARE Management Activity—Aurora, Office of Program Requirements Division, 16401 E. Centretech Parkway, ATTN: Graham Kolb, Aurora, CO 80011-9043.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on this proposed information collection, please write to the above address or call TRICARE Management Activity, Office of Program Requirements Division at [phone].

Title, Associated Form, and OMB Number: Health Insurance Claim Form, HCFA-1500, OMB Number 0720-0001

Needs and Uses: This information collection requirement is used by TRICARE to determine reimbursement for health care services or supplies rendered by individual professional providers to TRICARE beneficiaries. The requested information is used to determine beneficiary eligibility, appropriations and costs of care, other health insurance liability and whether services received are benefits. Use of this form continues TRICARE commitments to use the national standard claim form for reimbursement of services/supplies provided by individual professional providers.

Affected Public: Business or other form profit, State, local or tribal government, Federal government and not for profit institutions.

Annual Burden Hours: 5,600,000.

Number of Respondents: 22,400,000.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.

Frequency: On occasion.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Information Collection

This collection instrument is for is for use by health care providers under the TRICARE Program. TRICARE is a health benefits entitlement program for the dependents of active duty Uniformed Services member and deceased sponsors, retirees and their dependents, dependents of Department of Transportation (Coast Guard) sponsors, and certain North Atlantic Treaty Organizations, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service eligible beneficiaries. The Form HCFA 1500 is used by individual professional health care or health care related providers to file for reimbursement of civilian health care services or supplies provided to TRICARE beneficiaries. This is the national standard claim from accepted by all major commercial and government payers.

Dated: September 22, 2003.

Patricia L. Toppings,

Alternate OSD Federal Register, Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.